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DVD REVIEW: RING OF HONOR PROVING GROUND

Ring of Honor kicked off 2008 with Proving Ground on January 11, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts.  The show follows one of ROH's most entertaining years, so let's see if they can keep the momentum going.

Becky Bayless is in the dark in Boston.  Can ROH invest in a light for the cameras?  She goes up to Austin Aries for his thoughts on the FIP match he has with Stevens tonight.  He tells her to put some clothes on because it is cold out.  It never ceases to amaze me that smokers like Austin Aries and Jimmy Jacobs can have so much stamina in the ring for extended periods of time.

Pelle Primeau & Eddie Edwards vs. Kenny King & Jason Blade

King and Blade are the Tag Team Champions of FIP.  They are accompanied by the rest of the YRR and some random girls.  This is a non title match.  It takes way too long to clear the ring for the curtain jerker.  Blade and Edwards start.  Eddie with a side headlock.  Blade and Edwards trade ranas and arm drags and end up in a show down.  No offense to these guys, but the stand off has been killed dead as an entertaining spot because of overuse across the independent wrestling scene in matches like this one.  Rant over.

Blade with some forearms.  Edwards chops him down several times.  Blade tags in King.  Edwards with a spinning heel kick for one.  Pelle tags in and kicks King in the gut.  King no sells a wristlock and gives Pelle a big lariat after an atomic drop.  Blade tags in with a slingshot senton for two.  He knocks Edwards off the apron and brings King back in.  Shoulderbuster by King for two.  Spinebuster to Pelle gets another two count.  Blade tags in and kicks Primeau.  Blade catches a charging Pelle with a powerslam for two.  King tags back in.  Spinning backbreaker by King for two.  Pelle reverses King with a DDT and makes the tag.  Edwards cleans house with suplexes to the YRR.  Edwards with a Lionsault on Blade for two.  Pelle tags back in.  They double team Blade, then Edwards powerbombs Pelle onto Blade for two when King runs in.  King dumps Primeau to the floor.  Edwards plants Blade on the mat, then climbs to the top rope.  King hits an enziguri that sends Edwards to the floor.  The YRR double team Pelle for the win.

Your winners, the YRR!

They cut a promo after the match, but the Briscoes run out and clear the ring.  They take one look at the FIP belts and throw them down.  They say they'll get them back in Florida.  The Briscoes say the ROH belts are coming home tonight.

Alexa Thatcher vs. Daizee Haze

The two lock up at the start.  Haze flips Thatcher to the mat.  Alexa takes her down with an arm drag.  Haze with a hammerlock into a side headlock.  The two continue to go hold for hold.  Haze with some arm drags.  Daizee knocks Thatcher to the mat for two.  Side slam by Thatcher for one.  Thatcher misses a charge in the corner.  Haze chops her.  Thatcher reverses and hits a snapmare/dragon kick combo out of the corner.  Thatcher with a suplex for two.  O'Connor Roll by Haze for two.  The Haze with some forearms and clotheslines.  Scoop slam by Haze.  She goes to the top rope and hits a missile dropkick for two.  Thatcher murders Haze with a German Suplex.  Haze rolls her up for two.  Thatcher goes for a Bulldog, but gets caught with the Heart Punch/Yakuza Kick/Mind Trip combo.

Your winner, Daizee Haze!

Erick Stevens is in the back with his new FIP World Heavyweight Title, talking about taking his game to a new level.  He talks about proving people wrong against Ring of Honor's best this weekend (Aries and Danielson).

Ruckus w/ Mercedes Martinez vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Claudio quickly gets a wristlock.  Ruckus reverses, but is shoved to the mat.  Claudio dodges some kicks, but Ruckus hits one to the chest that knocks Double C to the mat.  Claudio avoids Razzle Dazzle and hits a diving European Uppercut off the second turnbuckle.  Chinlock on the mat by Claudio.  Scoop Slam and an elbow drop after walking the middle rope for two.  European Uppercut to the back of a sitting Ruckus for two.

Claudio with a boot to the throat, choking Ruckus in the corner.  Snapmare to Ruckus for two.  Claudio snapmares Ruckus off the top turnbuckle for another near fall.  Ruckus blocks a charge, but is caught on a cross body attempt and tosses overhead, putting both men on the mat.  Ruckus avoids a Bicycle Kick and gets Castagnoli off his feet with an arm drag.  He sends Ruckus to the floor with the headscissors.  Ruckus fakes out Castagnoli and kicks him.  Handspring backflips into a standing moonsault on the floor.

In the ring, Ruckus does a back flip and drives his knees into Claudio's back for two.  Claudio with a bicycle kick for two.  Handspring kick by Ruckus and Razzle Dazzle before driving Castagnoli's face to the mat with a leg drop.  Black Tornado Slam by Claudio for two.  Ruckus with a neckbreaker for two.  Ruckus goes for a moonsault leg drop, but is pinned for a near fall, leading into the Giant Swing.  Running European Uppercut by Castagnoli for the win.

Your winner, Claudio Castagnoli!

Hero and Sweet n Sour, Inc. come out, with Hero on crutches.  Sweeney tells Dempsey to get on his hands and knees so Hero can sit down.  Sweeney says Hero injured himself after trying to set the World Record for backflips, so Sweeney has benched him for the night.  Hero says he doesn't want or need the crowd's sympathy.  Fortunately, Sweeney says Puder is ready to make his in ring debut and issues an open challenge.  Claudio answers the call.  Sweeney orders him to the back, per the restraining order.  Some guy named Mikey Bennett comes out.

Daniel Puder vs. Mikey Bennett

Puder tosses Bennett to the mat, then takes him down by the legs, before cinching in a leg lock.  Bennett taps.

Your winner, Daniel Puder!

Sweeney calls Puder the man no one can tap out.  This brings Bryan Danielson to the ring.  Danielson gets on the mic and says Puder's reputation precedes him.  He mentions the Kurt Angle incident on Tough Enough.  He calls Puder a bad (in the good way) submission wrestler, but says he has some skills to.  Danielson wants to fight now, but Sweeney won't do it until money is on the line.  Claudio runs out and chases Puder and Sweeney to the back.  Dempsey carries Hero to the back.  Funny!  Danielson is left alone and wants Brent Albright to come out for their scheduled match.  Albright comes out and says he's been studying Danielson.  He has the gall to make fun of Final Countdown.  Albright says if Danielson wants to shake his hand, he has to beat him.

Brent Albright vs. Bryan Danielson

The two start by feeling each other out a bit.  They lock up and jockey for position.  Danielson tries to get leverage on the mat, but they come out even again.  The two get low and go for the knuckle lock.  The stronger Albright gets the better of it.  Danielson reverses, so Albright goes for the rope break.  They trade slaps.  Albright hits him hard enough to put him on the mat.  Shoulderblock by Albright, followed by a side headlock takedown.  Dropkick by Danielson, followed by a European Uppercut.  Danielson gets Albright on the mat and tries to apply a single leg crab.  Albright is able to fend him off and make the ropes.

Danielson frustrates Albright with some kicks.  Albright catches him and punches Dragon in the head.  Dragon reverses and hits some forearms, then goes for the eyes.  Albright again goes for the ropes.  Danielson with a low kick and single leg takedown.  He traps the legs, but Albright throws him off with his legs.  He pounds Dragon in the corner.  Dragon blocks a charge, but Albright shoves him off the turnbuckle to the floor.

Albright throws Danielson into the guardrail.  Albright targets the shoulder that Danielson is selling.  He whips the arm into the ringpost.  Albright focuses on the arm in the middle of the ring.  Dragon tries to mount a comeback, but Albright keeps hammering the arm.  Hammerlock back suplex for two.  Albright steals Dragon's catchphrase, so Danielson punches him in the face.  Albright quickly regains the advantage with a Divorce Court for two.

Suplex by Albright for two.  Hammerlock on the mat to Dragon.  Danielson uses his momentum to send Albright to the floor.  He goes to follow, but is whipped into the guardrail.  He no sells and hits a missile dropkick to Albright's back.  Albright bails, so Danielson hits him with a suicide dive.  European Uppercut to Albright back in the ring, followed by a knee to the gut and some kicks to the back and chest.  Albright no sells and suplexes Danielson on his head for two.

Albright goes after Dragon in the corner.  Dragon comes back with a kick to the jaw for two.  Albright cinches in an arm lock.  Danielson rolls into a cross armbreaker.  Dragon escapes and locks in Cattle Mutilation.  Danielson hits the elbows.  His shoulder starts to give, and Albright is able to free himself.  Danielson with more elbows, but Albright is able to apply the Crowbar.  Danielson reverses into a Fujiwara Armbar.  Albright reverses into Cattle Mutilation.  Heel!

Danielson gets out and they knock each other down with shoulderblocks.  They get up and trade forearms.  Roaring elbow and kicks to the head and arm by Danielson.  Albright is face down on the canvas when Dragon climbs to the top.  Albright recovers and crotches Dragon.  He goes for a superplex, but is thrown off.  Danielson misses a Diving Headbutt.  Half Nelson Suplex gets a near fall for Albright.  6-1-Knee by Albright.  He locks in another Crowbar, but it is reverses into a Triangle Choke.  Danielson throws some elbows and Albright taps.

Your winner, Bryan Danielson!

After the match, Danielson wants that handshake.  Albright blows him off.

Age of the Fall come out through the crowd.  Jacobs reminds everyone who the new Tag Team Champions are.  He talks about ROH stacking the deck against them tonight.  He looks ahead to the team of El Generico and Kevin Steen.  That's why he has his man Necro Butcher to go after them.

Street Fight:  Necro Butcher w/ Jimmy Jacobs & Lacey vs. Kevin Steen

Steen and Necro start trading punches immediately.  Steen charges and takes Necro down, punching him in the head.  He stomps away on Necro's head in the corner.  Cannonball splash by Steen.  They go to the floor and Steen throws some more punches.  Necro tosses a chair into Steen's midsection.  Steen comes back with his own chair shot to the gut.  Steen comes out better in another exchange of punches.

Necro reverses a whip and tosses Steen into the guardrail.  Necro with a kick to the head.  Necro goes for Steen's eye.  Necro wraps Steen in the floor mat.  Necro gets back in the ring and climbs to the top.  He dives onto the mat with a splash onto Steen.  Necro goes to cover Steen, but the mat is obstructing the view of the pin.

Necro takes off Bobby Cruise's show and hits Steen in the head with it.  Chair slam in the ring.  Necro alternates chops and punches in the corner, then throws a chair at his gut.  Steen blocks a chair shot, then drops to the mat to send the chair into Necro's face.  Front flip leg drop onto the chair for two.  Steen grabs a couple of chairs on the floor, but Necro kicks him.  Necro crotches Steen onto the guardrail.  Necro sits Steen on the apron and peppers his sauce.  Necro puts Steen on his shoulders, but Steen elbows out.  Necro punches Steen, but Steen kicks the rope into his groin.  Necro is kicked and sits on the chairs.  Steen dives over the top, but misses and goes through the chairs.  Ouch.

Necro tosses some chairs into the ring.  He makes a cover for two.  Neckbreaker by Butcher for two.  Necro puts two chairs back to back and drops Steen across them for another near fall.  Steen tosses Necro off the top, but he misses a set up chair.  Steen lays a chair across Necro's chest and connects with a Swanton for two.  Superkicks by Steen, but Necro stays on his feet.  Necro calls for a chair shot and Steen hammers him.  Steen kicks him in the nuts and hits a package piledriver on the chair for the win.

Your winner, Kevin Steen!

Becky Bayless is in the back with Kevin Steen.  Steen basically tells Steen to handle Roddy on his own since he is a little out of sorts.  Steen humorously goes down the steps.

Sal Rinauro w/ YRR vs. Delirious

Delirious is fired up right away and takes Sal down with a waistlock.  Sal makes the ropes and Delirious calls him a punk.  Delirious makes fun of the YRR's mannerisms.  Delirious headbutts Rinauro in the wrist.  Rinauro maintains a wristlock, but is taken down with a snapmare and rolled up for two.  Sal pie faces Delirious.  He gets taken down to the mat for this.  Arm drags, a drop toe hold, and a back senton by Delirious for two.

Jawbreaker by Rinauro.  He applies a side headlock.  Back elbow takes Sal down, and Delirious hits a back suplex for two.  Chop by Delirious in the corner.  He blocks a charge and climbs to the top.  Jason Blade distracts him and Rinauro is able to hip toss Delirious into the turnbuckles.  Sal steps on Delirious' head.  He steps on Delirious throat in the corner and hits a dropkick for two.

Delirious fights back and goes for a Sunset Flip.  Rinauro blocks it and stomps Delirious in the head.  Fist drop by Sal and he gyrates for the ladies pleasure.  Delirious head butts Rinauro when he tries to go over him in the corner.  Delirious avoids the punches and slaps Sal.  Leaping Lariat by Delirious, followed by a chokeslam for two.  Drop toe hold by Delirious sends Rinauro into the corner.  He hits Panic Attack, but misses on Shadows Over Hell.  Sal gets a chinbreaker and a backflip kick in the corner.  Rance tries to interfere an Rinauro rolls up Delirious for two.  Sal hits a superkick and slowly climbs to the top.  Delirious gets up and throws him on King and Blade on the floor.  Rinauro springboards right into a Cobra Stretch and Sal taps out.

Your winner, Delirious!

El Generico vs. Roderick Strong

Strong immediately goes on the offensive.  Generico fights back with some arm drags.  Chops in the corner by Generico, then a high angle back suplex.  Strong recovers and kicks Generico.  Generico with a drop toe hold and some elbow drops.  Split legged moonsault by Generico for two.  Generico dropkicks Strong when Roddy goes for a back body drop.  Strong is sent to the floor, and Generico gets ready to jump out of the ring, but he runs right into a dropkick by Strong.

Strong chops him to the mat, then goes for a waistlock on the mat.  He lets go, then stomps him repeatedly.  Strong dumps Generico and drops him on top of the guardrail.  Strong and Generico exchange forearms.  Generico with forearms in the corner.  He blocks a charge by Strong.  Strong hits a backbreaker out of the corner for two.  Strong chops Generico on the ropes.  He gets cocky and Generico rolls him up for two.

Strong gets right back up and clubs Generico to the mat.  Strong works on the back.  Snapmare by Strong and he continues to wear down Generico.  He applies some bodyscissors.  Strong spits on Generico and chops him on the ropes again.  Generico hits a wheelbarrow arm drag and a dropkick.  Strong puts him in the corner and fires away with chops.  Generico counters with a rana out of the corner and Strong is thrown from the ring.  Generico leaps over the top rope onto Strong.

Generico hits a cross body off the top rope for two.  Strong comes back and chops Generico to the mat.  Generico gets up and chops him back, then hits a spinning sit out powerbomb for two.  Strong catches the Yakuza Kick in the corner and drops Generico on his knee for two.  Strong puts Generico's mat across his knee, then slams him to the mat for two.

The two jockey for position on the apron.  Generico charges, but Strong gets a boot up.  Generico leaps back in the ring and tries to slam Strong's head in the corner.  Strong blocks and goes to the top.  Generico kicks him and goes for the BRAINBUSTAAHHHHH~!, but Strong tosses him off, then kicks him for two.  Roll up by Generico for two.  Backbreaker, gutbuster, and Gibson Driver by Strong end the match.

Your winner, Roderick Strong!

After the match, the Hangmen 2/3 come out and go Hi-Lo on Generico.  Albright says he isn't finished with Generico.  He and Whitmer plan on taking the belts in Ultimate Endurance tonight.

Becky asks how Generico is feeling.  Steen walks up the steps on the cell phone.  Generico tries to tell him the Hangmen did this.  Steen says this has been going on long enough.  He says they signed their death certificate.  He says he's going to break Albright's neck.

FIP World Heavyweight Championship Match:  Austin Aries vs. Erick Stevens (c)

They circle each other before warily locking up.  Aries chooses to take him down with a waistlock.  Stevens reverses.  Aries goes for the legs, but he gets kicked off.  Hammerlock by Aries.  He takes Stevens to the mat for one.  Wristlock by Austin.  Side headlock by Aries.  Stevens throws him off and doesn't budge when Aries comes off the ropes.  Aries dares Stevens to do the same, but he charges him while his back is turned.  Another side headlock by Aries.  Stevens takes him down with a shoulderblock and Aries bails.

They lock up when Aries gets back in and trade side headlocks.  Aries and Stevens shove each other.  Aries pie faces Stevens and gets chopped down.  Aries slaps Stevens in the chest on the mat then goes for another headlock.  Stevens with headscissors.  Aries escapes and locks in a Camel Clutch.  Stevens stands up and sits Aries on the top turnbuckle.  After the break, Aries dives onto Stevens.  He drops some knees on the FIP champion for two.  Aries attacks in the corner.

Stevens chops back and throws Aries into the turnbuckle.  Aries slaps Stevens in the chest some more.  Snapmare and knee to the back.  Neckbreaker by Aries for two.  Aries rolls up Stevens for two, then rebounds off the ropes with a knee to the chest.  Elbow to the head by Aries.  He runs into a powerslam for two.

Snapmare and a forearm to Aries' chest on the mat for two.  Backbreaker by Stevens.  Aries knees his head to get out.  Aries slaps Stevens' chest very stiffly.  Stevens whips him into the corner, but Aries drops down to avoid the Choo Choo.  Aries gets on the apron and snaps the back of Stevens' neck across the top rope.  Aries puts Stevens head off the apron and pounds the back of his head.  He slingshots over the top to the floor to get some extra oomph.

Stevens tries to come back with some headbutts and charges in the corner.  Aries kicks him in the chest, but runs into a back body drop.  Bear Hug locked in by Stevens.  Stevens with a nasty belly to belly suplex putting both men down.  Forearm by Stevens.  He follows with an inverted atomic drop and hits a flying shoulder tackle off the middle rope.  Stevens tosses Aries up and plants him with a powerslam for two.

Stevens tries to lock in a Full Nelson.  Aries sends him to the floor, then hits a suicide dive.  Aries rolls Stevens in the ring and puts him in the corner, hitting a series of elbows to the head.  Stevens catches him and dumps Aries over the top, then dives off the apron with a shoulder tackle.  Stevens goes for the Choo Choo on the floor, but Aries sends him into the crowd.  Aries climbs to the top rope and dives into the crowd to a standing Stevens.  Ouch.  Neither man can beat the FIP twenty count.

The result is a double count out and Stevens retains.  The crowd is not happy about this.  Stevens says it is not ending like that.  He says he is a fighting champion and he wants more time from Aries.  The referee restarts the match.

Aries hits a dropkick in the corner.  Stevens blocks a brainbuster attempt.  Aries with a series of strikes in the corner.  Aries ducks a Lariat and hits a crucifix bomb.  Aries with a brainbuster and he climbs to the top.  Stevens gets the knees up on the 450 attempt and delivers a release German Suplex.  Aries clotheslines Stevens to prevent the Choo Choo for two.  Aries with some last chancery, but Stevens drives him into the corner and hits a TKO for two.

Stevens goes for the Doctor Bomb.  They elbow each other, then trade forearms.  Aries with a low dropkick and kick to the head.  Aries goes for another Brainbuster.  Stevens lifts him up, but Aries brings him down with knees to the head and applies the Horn of Aries.  Stevens is able to stand up.  Aries with more knees, but he gets clubbed to the mat.  Aries ranas out of a Doctor Bomb and hits a Roaring Elbow.  Stevens immediately nails a lariat, then pins Aries with the Dr. Bomb.

Your winner, Erick Stevens!

Aries turns down a handshake request and just walks to the back.

ROH World Tag Team Championship Ultimate Endurance Match:

The first fall is a Tag Team Scramble.

The Hangmen 2/3 (BJ Whitmer & Brent Albright) vs. The Vulture Squad (Jack Evans & Ruckus) vs. The Briscoes vs. Age of the Fall (Tyler Black & Jimmy Jacobs)(c)

The Briscoes immediately attack AOTF in the entranceway.  Whitmer goes after Jigsaw in the ring.  Black fights back.  Jay pounds Jimmy.  Tyler punches Mark.  Whitmer and Albright dive onto the fighting pairs on the floor.  Jigsaw and Jack Evans dive over the top.  Mercedes and Lacey go at it in the ring.  Mercedes hits some forearms and they fight up the aisle.

The Vulture Squad trip Jacobs and double team him.  Mark suplexes Whitmer on the floor.  Evans and Jigsaw team up on Jay for two.  Backcracker/Knee drop combo to Whitmer by the Vulture Squad.  Black sends Jig to the floor.  Black catches Evans and whips him into Jimmy's boots.  They both dive off the middle rope with Shoulder Tackles to Evans.

The Briscoes come into the ring and pound Jacobs in the corner.  They launch Jacobs to the mat, then chop Black before tossing him out of the corner.  Albright and Whitmer come in and attack the Briscoes.  Black springboards and dropkicks the Hangmen, but Jay kicks him in the head.  And here come various kicks.  Springboard Doomsday is turned into a reverse rana by Evans.  Albright hits the Half Nelson Suplex on Jigsaw to eliminate the Vulture Squad.

The Vulture Squad is eliminated.

The Second Fall is No DQ.

AOTF double team Mark on the floor.  Jimmy shoves Mark into a chair to the midsection.  Whitmer and Albright work on Jay in the corner.  AOTF do the same to Mark in the other corner.  Jimmy uses his cane on Mark.  Jacobs spits on his old pal Whitmer.  BJ and Jimmy showdown with spikes.  Jimmy overs to take care of their Briscoe and Hangmen take care of theirs before they meet.  The Briscoes get spiked in opposite corners.  Jay and Mark are bleeding.

Whitmer repeatedly spikes Jay.  Jimmy dives onto Mark on the floor.  Jimmy rolls Mark back in the ring.  Albright hits Jay in the back with a chair.  AOTF continue to assault Mark in the corner.  Whitmer digs the spike into Jay's head.  Black kicks Mark in the head.  Whitmer breaks the truce with an Exploder to Black.  The Briscoes get up and pound Whitmer in the corner.  They hit stereo kicks to Whitmer.  The Briscoes toss some chairs in the ring.  Mark gets a ladder.

Whitmer goes for an Exploder on Jay.  The reverse each other's moves.  Jay Driller to Whitmer.  Mark climbs to the top of the ladder and makes a big splash onto Whitmer to eliminate the Hangmen.

The Hangmen Three are eliminated.

ROH World Tag Team Title Match

Jimmy kicks Mark out of the ring and goes to work on Jay.  Black puts Jay into a Tree of Woe and whips Jacobs into him.  They hit double team dropkicks for two.  Lionsault to Jay for two.  Black and Jacobs punch Jay in the head on the mat.  Jay fights back in the corner and drives Jacobs' face into the turnbuckle.  Mark with a springboard kick to Black.  Mark repeatedly punches Black in the corner.  Black is put on the top.  He kicks Mark off once.  Mark with a springboard Ace Crusher for two when Jacobs breaks the pin up.

Mark boots Jacobs in the gut, but Jacobs charges with a spear for two when Jay makes the save.  Jay turns the Contra Code into a Falcon Arrow for two.  Another Falcon Arrow gets another near fall.  Jay tosses Black to the floor.  Black runs in to save Jacobs.  He tosses Jay off the top rope into the End Time by Jacobs.  Jay stands up and gets Jacobs off.  Mark takes out Black on the floor.

Jay fires away on Jimmy with punches.  The Briscoes hit the Springboard Doomsday Device, but Black breaks the pin up.  Enziguri to Mark Briscoe, then he dives over the top to wipe him out.  Jimmy blocks a Jay Driller and hits the Contra Code.  Black comes off the top with a Phoenix Splash and they both pin Jay for the win.

Your winners, Age of the Fall!

The YRR are in the back.  Sal doesn't look too happy.  Sal says he is the Florida Heritage Champion and he lost to Delirious.  He comes out of his funk and starts making out with Becky.  Gross.  She doesn't look put off.  Ugh.  The DVD would have been better served by ending with a good match instead of a lame segment.

Match by match thoughts:

The opener was like most matches featuring Primeau.  Pelle takes a beating and makes the hot tag.  Pelle takes the pin.  There were a few good double teams, but ultimately, when ROH doesn't feature the YRR all the time, this feels completely miss-able.  King shows some flashes, though.

Solid match by Haze and Thatcher.  I was just getting into it when it ended.

The Ruckus-Claudio match wasn't bad, but it was more or less undercard filler since it won't lead to anything down the line.  The outcome was never in doubt.

The Sweet n Sour segment was entertaining.  I really liked the idea of Puder in ROH, so it's too bad that ever worked out.

The Albright-Dragon match built up into a great match.  Danielson did an excellent job at selling his injury throughout the match.  Albright had a nice showing, and looked good while keeping up his offense.

Steen and Necro's match wasn't the most brutal, but they did a good job at having a brawl that is worth watching.  Steen beats Necro at his kind of match, setting up for a showdown with AOTF, and Necro doesn't lose anything since he still has a special aura, and Steen kind of cheated with a low.

If I followed FIP, that match might have been a bigger deal, but it just felt like a glorified enhancement match since Rinauro is not a regular at the moment.  It was too similar to other matches to really stand out.  You'll probably forget about it by the end of the DVD.

Bell to bell action in the Strong-Generico match.  Save for a couple restholds, this never let up.  Excellent wrestling here.  They did so much in a limited amount of time.  I'd love to see what they could have done with 20 minutes.

This was followed with a longer match that turned out to be packed with a lot of physical wrestling.  Stevens looked great in his first major defense in ROH and proved he can hang in the ring with top talents like Aries in a singles setting.  I was really worried the finish would be the double count out, but Stevens got a HUGE boost by demanding the restart, and then following that with a decisive win.

Tag Team Endurance did a good job in making each "match" unique.  The first match just had a lot of spots that aren't listed here.  The No DQ match featured a dramatic beatdown for most of it by the Hangmen and AOTF.  The final match did an excellent job of continuing the war between the Briscoes and AOTF.

The last match really puts this DVD over the top, and along with Strong-Generico and Aries-Stevens, it turns this DVD from a mild thumbs in the middle to a strong thumbs up.  I wouldn't call it must buy, since the ROH champion wasn't on the card, but strong title defenses make it worth owning and worth seeing.  The last hour plus is top notch.  Nothing on the undercard is bad, but some of it is a little blah.  Ultimate Endurance gets mach of the night honors.  Lots of cool stuff here.

If you have any comments or questions, please email me at EdSh007@hotmail.com.